Recently researches have been carried out to determine the extent to which our brain functions are impacted by our surroundings. The findings, published in the journal NeuroImage, show that serene environmental scenes with natural features, such as the sea, green mountains make the neurons in the brain respond differently. They get connected in a certain way which improves the state of our emotions. However when our brains are exposed images that are less tranquil like motorways and concrete buildings, there was a remarkable disruption in functioning of the neurons. This leads to our acting more stressful.

This result was based on series of brain scanning done by the researchers from the University of Bradford's Academic Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, Academic Radiology and the School of Architecture, along with the School of Engineering, Design and Technology and the Institute of Medicine and Neuroscience at Jülich, Germany. In the scanning process people were showed images that had both a constant roar like noise but one was of natural environment and the other was a manmade surrounding; the results were very different in the two instances. Despite the noise the brain seemed more connected and alert and also rested when looking at the image of natural scene. This also proves the point that natural environments induce feelings of tranquility whereas manmade, urban environments are seen as non-tranquil. Natural surroundings are definitely more restorative than manmade one the research showed.

Germany